A prominent UK-listed commodities organisation in Africa engaged Templar Executives to support the business to improve its Cyber Security posture and culture, encourage best practice, support business change and efficiencies, as well as meet compliance requirements.
The Challenge
The commodities organisation was looking to mitigate risks to its operation as it grew and transformed its business across multiple sites in the UK and overseas. It was clear that there were significant vulnerabilities – physical, procedural and technological, and in its approach to Cyber Security and awareness of information risk. With no accountability at Board level nor a strategy in place, there was a lack of policies, processes and training as well as no understanding of related critical assets (including information and data) and very limited risk management practices. There had also been several breaches and insider threat incidents which were adversely impacting the organisation’s business and its future transformation and growth aspirations.
Our Approach
Through the CEO and CFO championing Cyber change, the Board engaged Templar Executives on a programme of work to address the tripartite challenge of fixing operational issues, reducing risk and enabling change. We delivered a comprehensive Cyber Security assessment by way of a health check across multiple sites in Africa, both physical and online including penetration tests and vulnerability analysis, to ascertain a baseline, identify gaps and recommend a roadmap of actions for improvement and resilience. This included Board training at the London headquarters and repeated engagements to transform leadership in this area; implementing governance structures internationally; working closely with the General Counsel and others on writing and publishing relevant policies; root-and-branch technology improvements; developing a communications and engagement strategy and plan; an improvement in HR practices – particularly Starters, Movers and Leavers processes; extensive training to support compliance and awareness (in person and e-learning); and other support packages.
Outcomes and Benefits
The commodities business accepted all of Templar Executives’ recommendations and was supported over a period of 18 months following a clear roadmap of actions and investment required to improve the business’s Cyber Security posture, deemed essential to address its strategic goals.
The company successfully implemented a programme of technical, procedural and personnel risk mitigation actions to support these strategic business outcomes, as well as realise efficiencies in historic processes and systems.
Leaders and staff were supported with policy and governance best practices, as well as training, communications and engagement to address vulnerabilities and meet compliance requirements, encouraging a positive Cyber Security culture through positive actions and behaviours. Templar Executives remains in touch with this long-standing client of ours which remains an important stakeholder in the economy of multiple Developing Nations.